TUESDAY
EDITION:
Hamvention draws
30,000...Top Ten
Steps for
Successful Portable
QRP Operation
(buy an amplifier
and cut to the
chase). I could
never figure out the
joy of walking up a
mountain fighting
black flies,
sweating, and
setting up a qrp
station. Stay the
hell home, close to
the kitchen and
bathroom and have
some QRO fun in
comfort with a real
antenna.....
A tube with my name,
I better look in to
my past
ancestors.....
Kids are
hams too
The Xenia
Daily Gazette
reports ham
radio has no
boundaries as
there are
operators all
over the world,
there are also
no age
parameters just
ask 10-year-old
Riley
Lorang
The
newspaper says:
The
10-year-old from
San Jose,
California,
obtained his
Tech license
KN6JWW at age 8
and his general
license last
summer when he
was 9. He
actually started
getting into it
as a first
grader but kind
of let it go
until the last
couple years.
“I always
wanted to play
with the radios
with all the
buttons,” he
said when asked
what got him
interested in
amateur radio.
This is his
first
Hamvention.
The Wagner
siblings —
Bernadette,
Benedict, and
Agnes — are a
little more
experienced in
Hamvention,
attending their
first in 2019
before COVID
shut things down
for a couple
years. Benedict,
13, has been
licensed for
four years.
Bernadette, 15,
and Agnes, 12,
have had their
licenses for
three years.
“I went to
meetings with my
dad and I
thought it was
fun,” Benedict
AD8FQ said.
fark
His favorite
part of amateur
radio is
participating in
contests where
he and others in
his club try to
contact as many
people as
possible from a
specific place.
Agnes AD8IR
took the lead
from her brother
and some friends
who were ham
operators.
“I thought
it wold be cool
to talk to my
friends,” she
said. “I like to
play with the
digital modes.”
Two military
satellites recently
exchanged more than
200 gigabits of data
over a distance of
about 100 kilometers
using laser
communication in
space. Satellites
generally do not
communicate directly
with each other.
Instead, they use
radio signals to
transfer data down
to a ground station
on Earth, which then
relays this data to
another satellite.
Optical terminals
between satellites
are considered to be
faster and more
secure. The two
satellites, named
Able and Baker, were
launched last summer
by the U.S. Defense
Advanced Research
Projects Agency as
part of its
Blackjack project.
A much slower
data transfer takes
place under more
challenging
conditions when
communicating with
humanity's outpost
beyond our solar
system. NASA
engineers are
investigating
anomalous telemetry
data produced by the
venerable space
probe
Voyager 1.
They are now trying
to debug the probe,
a formidable task as
data flows from
Voyager at 160 bits
per second, and
signals take 20
hours and 33 minutes
to reach the probe.
A Wednesday
announcment states
that the probe is
operating normally,
receiving and
executing commands
from Earth, and
still doing science
and phoning home
with data. But
Voyager 1’s attitude
articulation and
control system
(AACS), that helps
point the probe’s
antenna towards
Earth, does not
currently reflect
what’s actually
happening onboard.
NASA says the AACS
data may appear to
be randomly
generated, or does
not reflect any
possible state the
AACS could be in.
The good news is
that the craft is
still doing fine.
It’s not needed to
enter safe mode and
its signal is still
strong, so it
appears the main
antenna is properly
aligned even if
system data suggests
otherwise.
In their latest
weekly news bulletin
AMSAT
announced the
publication of a
detailed paper which
describes the
reception of the
Tianwen-1 Chinese
Mars mission carried
out by AMSAT-DL
using the 20 meter
dish at Bochum
Observatory in
Germany. A real-time
GNU Radio decoder
has been used to
receive and store
telemetry almost
every day over the
course of 10 months.
Some of the
telemetry variables,
such as the
trajectory
information, have
been successfully
interpreted and used
to track the
progress of the
mission. A PDF of
the report is
available for
download at
www.amsat.org .
Boone County
ham radio ops to
connect with
operators across
north America
Ham radio
operators from
the
Central Missouri
Radio
Association
will participate
in ARRL Field
Day June 25 and
26, a national
amateur radio
exercise. The
annual event
includes hams
from across
North America
who establish
temporary ham
radio stations
in public
locations to
demonstrate
skill and
service.
ARRL Field
Day aims to
highlight ham
radio's reliably
under any
conditions from
near any
location and
create an
independent,
wireless
communications
network. Hams in
Boone County
will be set up
in a variety of
radio station
locations,
including homes,
backyards and
other locations
to individually
operate the
radios. Many ham
radios are
portable using
alternative
energy sources
such as
generators,
solar panels,
and batteries.
Bill
McFarland, ARES
emergency
coordinator,
said this year’s
event is
particularly
noteworthy with
the active
hurricane season
as hams have a
history of being
serving being
communities way
of communication
when storms and
disasters damage
communication
infrastructures
like cell
towers.
ARRL Field
Day was first
organized in
1933 by the
National
Association for
Amateur Radio in
the United
States. The
event had more
than 18,000
participants in
2020 and there
are more than
750,00 amateur
radio licensees
in the United
States.
CBS News
reports a farm
in central
Florida has
become one of
the largest
shortwave radio
operations in
the world
Using Cold
War era radio
technology
called
shortwave,
Jeff
White
and his
WRMI
team are
broadcasting
unbiased
information on
the status of
the Russian war
on Ukraine to
listeners in
Belarus, Ukraine
and Russia.
Miguel Amaya has
more.
The May edition
of the Radio
Amateur Society of
Australia
magazine QTC is now
available as a free
PDF
This
edition includes:
• Powerline noise
and bushfire risk
• Establishing a
remote HF station
• Why not use 1
kW...? • QRN Guru
• How's your noise
floor? • The saga
of the network
switch and 20m QRM
• Low power
wireless charging:
friend or foe?
Cuban radio
amateurs
assisted in the
aftermath of the
gas explosion on
May 6 at the
Saratoga Hotel,
Havana
A
translation of
the post by
Cuba's national
amateur radio
society FRC
says:
Cuban radio
amateurs have
always
distinguished
themselves by
their
expressions of
solidarity and
their
manifestations
of help in the
face of any
disaster
situation, going
promptly
wherever the
presence of a
helping hand or
the deployment
of their means
of communication
has been needed,
all of which has
contributed to
the safeguarding
of thousands of
human lives and
large material
resources.
This
happened with
the presence of
a group of 30 of
our colleagues
who from the
provinces of
Havana,
Artemisa, Villa
Clara and Pinar
del Río,
participated in
the general
actions of
Logistics and
rescue and
rescue in the
capital Hotel
Saratoga, after
the unfortunate
accident
destroyed much
of the structure
of this
legendary
tourist
facility, and
will also affect
other nearby
buildings.
Our
colleagues
exhibited the
vast experience
accumulated
throughout our
country, where
they have given
their support in
the
mobilizations of
the Defense, the
Civil Defense,
in the presence
of cyclones,
various
meteorological
events, natural
disasters and in
as many
opportunities as
they have been
summoned by the
authorities of
the country,
integrating into
the formations
of the Emergency
Network in all
the
municipalities
of the nation.
On this
occasion, after
the first
moments of
knowing the
explosion that
occurred around
10:45 in the
morning of May
6, it was not
necessary to
summon any of
the 30 members
of the
Federation of
Amateur Radio of
Cuba (FRC), who
joined the
Rescue and
Rescue actions
in that fateful
event;
conscience,
altruism and the
desire to offer
their solidarity
help was leading
them all to stay
for almost a
week working
side by side
with the rest of
the professional
rescuers and
volunteers who
filled that
place.
It
was this,
according to the
colleagues who
attended there,
which all have
valued as the
most important
participation in
an emergency
operation, where
they integrated
the growing list
of people who
helped the
rescue and
rescue work and
remained on firm
foot until the
location of the
last of the
victims in that
tragic event, in
which so far the
chilling figure
of 46 dead and
99 injured has
been officially
reported.
In the
Saratoga Hotel a
unique
integration was
seen, a uniform
mass where this
advanced radio
amateurs arrived
from the four
mentioned
provinces,
merged in
spirit, body and
soul together
with the
professional
forces of the
Firefighters,
Rescue and
Rescue, Red
Cross, Ministry
of Public
Health, Ministry
of the Interior,
Armed Forces,
Ministry of
Construction,
volunteers from
the people of
the capital and
other
territories of
the country,
with the primary
objective of
helping to save
lives and
contribute to
the search for
people who had
been reported
missing, many of
whom had to be
removed already
deceased under
the rubble.
All agree
that the actions
carried out by
these combined
forces showed a
distinctive
element that was
of vital
importance:
unity, that
unity to which
our people have
been called
since the first
moments of the
triumph of the
Revolution, the
same unity that
the President of
the Republic
reiterates in
his calls in
these difficult
times that the
heroic Antillean
Island is going
through.
There in the
middle of a
colossal effort
where no one
slept, where
only the rest of
a few minutes
was possible, on
site and among
the incessant
roar of the
specialized
machinery,
everything was
shared: every
moment of
sadness, every
tear was shared
with the
relatives who
approached and
asked about the
possible
appearance of
one of their own
or a friend.
They also shared
the solidarity
hugs, the pats
on the shoulder
so as not to
faint, the food
that in
solidarity came
from the hand of
organizations
and humble
citizens who
sent us as much
provision as
they could
gather.
It was very
difficult to
distinguish,
beyond the dusty
uniform of the
professionals,
who were the
radio amateurs,
who were those
of the Red Cross
or Firefighters
or Rescuers by
trade, who of
other
formations; the
faces all
focused on the
same objective,
the debris and
the ruins of the
collapse, trying
that the eyes
and the thought
itself could
cross the cloud
of dust
originated by
the machinery
and tools used
by the
lifeguards in
each removal of
the rubble,
actions these
always
surrounded by a
very high quota
of danger due to
the situation in
which the
structures of
the Saratoga
Hotel and the
adjoining
building where
both threatened
total collapse.
In every
event of our
lives there is
always some
person who
without
intending it,
and who by
virtue of his
qualities and
his own drive
becomes a leader
to whom we must
go to at least
show us the
first routes of
the way; and in
the case of the
representation
of the radio
amateurs who
went through the
Saratoga, that
role of leader
corresponded to
the capital
Héctor Oscar
Rivero Martínez
(CM2SSS), from
the municipality
of San Miguel
del Padrón. We
saw that
colleague
unstoppable,
indefatigable,
moving from one
side to the
other, the same
in logistics
tasks, in the
removal of
debris, in the
extraction of
the bodies of
fatal victims or
in the attention
and guidance of
each of the
radio amateurs
who came to be
integrated into
the rescue and
rescue actions.
So
outstanding was
also the role
played by other
radio amateurs
such as the
cases of Yunier
Ramírez Elvírez
(CL2YRR),
tireless in his
work as a
frontline
rescuer;
Clemente Acosta
Alomá (CL2CAA),
who from his
position in the
Red Cross tent
constantly
approached radio
amateurs,
firefighters and
the rest of his
colleagues,
worried about
whether they
were well cared
for, if they
needed water or
food. And in a
similar attitude
we find Ilson
Infante Brito,
(CL2LEM),
equally tireless
and developing
on any front of
the actions in
the Saratoga.
There we
were present in
each tour of our
President and
the other
authorities of
the country,
there we were
able to exchange
directly with
the First
Secretary of the
Party in Havana,
comrade Luis
Antonio Torres
Iríbar, who was
explained
first-hand about
the presence and
actions
developed by the
group of radio
amateurs who
were distributed
in all the areas
where the rescue
and rescue tasks
were undertaken.
There is no
doubt that after
the plane crash
that occurred in
March 2018,
where 112 people
lost their
lives, the
events that
occurred at the
Saratoga Hotel
make it the
greatest tragedy
in Cuba in
recent years, an
event in which
for obvious
reasons of the
place where it
happened, it
counted from the
first moment and
until the rescue
tasks concluded
last Thursday,
May 12, with the
assistance to
the tasks of
support of a
tide of people
among which were
the radio
amateurs.
There was
then a
representation
of lovers of the
world of radio,
antennas and
cables; there
they went to
give their
contribution in
a totally
autonomous,
spontaneous,
voluntary way,
without asking
or expecting
anything in
return, as they
have always done
throughout
history; there
we saw them
disguised as
dust and debris
residues; their
bodies and
clothes dirty
from the
relentless
struggle day and
night,
demonstrating,
far beyond any
political
conception, that
Cuban radio
amateurs are
part of the
fundamental
unity that is
inherited from
the teachings of
our Apostle José
Martí.
It
was for all the
facts narrated
here that we
considered it
appropriate to
wait for the
conclusion of
all the actions
in the Rescue
and Rescue
operation at the
Saratoga Hotel,
including the
realization of
the Vigil held
on Friday night,
to publish on
our website WEB
a review that
summarized the
modest but very
outstanding
contribution of
the Radio
Amateurs during
all these sad
but
unforgettable
days. Very
deserved was the
recognition that
was made to this
group of our
colleagues in an
interactive
radio event held
on the night of
Saturday, May
14, when the
Weekly
Informative
Bulletin
Encuentro
Capitalino
served as a
platform to
listen to the
anecdotes and
considerations
in the own voice
of several of
the protagonists
of the provinces
of Havana and
Artemisa.
Ham Radio
operators on the
air for
nationwide ARRL
Field Day Event
Ham radio
operators from
the Portage
County Amateur
Radio Service
will be in
Freedom Township
participating in
a national
amateur radio
exercise for a
full 24 hours
from 2:00 pm on
Saturday until
2:00 pm on
Sunday, (June 25
– 26) at the
Freedom Township
Community Park
(corner of State
Route 700 and
Streeter Road ).
An annual
amateur radio
activity
organized since
1933 by ARRL,
the national
association for
amateur radio in
the United
States.
It’s not your
Grandfather’s
old radio hobby
anymore. Ham
radio has moved
in to the 21st
century and has
an important
role in the
safety and well
being of the
community –
locally,
regionally,
nationally and
world-wide.
During times of
foul weather or
infrastructure
failures, Hams
can communicate
“When all else
fails – Ham
Radio Works”.
Hams from
across North
America
participate in
Field Day by
establishing
temporary ham
radio stations
in public
locations to
demonstrate
their skill and
service. Their
use of radio
signals, which
reach beyond
borders, bring
people together
while providing
essential
communication in
the service of
communities.
Field Day
highlights ham
radio’s ability
to work reliably
under any
conditions from
almost any
location and
create an
independent,
wireless
communications
network.
The Portage
County Amateur
Radio Service
(PCARS) will be
taking part in
the annual
nation-wide
Field Day event
with temporary
emergency style
set ups at the
Freedom Township
Community Park
(corner of State
Route 700 and
Streeter Road).
There will be
portable radio
communication
stations that
include
alternative
energy sources
such as
generators,
solar panels,
and batteries to
power their
equipment.
This year’s
event is also
noteworthy given
that a
particularly
active hurricane
and tornado
seasons are
predicted. “Hams
have a long
history of
serving our
communities when
storms or other
disasters damage
critical
communication
infrastructure,
including cell
towers,” said
President of the
Portage County
Amateur Radio
Service (PCARS)
Nick Wagner,
callsign AC8QG.
“Ham radio
functions
completely
independent of
the internet and
phone systems
and a station
can be set up
almost anywhere
in minutes. Hams
can quickly
raise a wire
antenna in a
tree or on a
mast, connect it
to a radio and
power source,
and communicate
effectively with
others,” Wagner
added.
During Field
Day 2021, more
than 18,000 hams
participated
from thousands
of locations
across North
America.
According to
ARRL, there are
more than
750,000 amateur
radio licensees
in the US, and
an estimated 3
million
worldwide.
WEEKEND
EDITION: 55
and fogged in at
6am, the inland
predicted 90+temps.
It won't get that
hot here on the
rock....Since making
its debut in 1952,
the Hamvention,
lovingly known to
locals as Hamfest,
has been a staple in
the community. The
last Hamvention in
2019 drew 32,462
attendees to the
area from around the
country, according
to the Greene County
Convention and
Visitors Bureau.
That's more than
double the
size of Xenia.
Foundations of
Amateur Radio
The
Thunder and
Lightning that
destroyed my station
...
The other day I
was woken by the
sound of a
thunderclap. It was
shockingly loud and
came out of the
blue. A few moments
later, it happened
again. I exploded
out of bed, rushed
to the shack,
disconnected the
beacon power and
switched the antenna
coax to 'safe'.
After breathing a
sigh of relief,
everything went dark
and with it came the
distinctive sound of
the sudden death of
the uninterrupted
power supply taking
with it my
workstation.
With nothing else
left to do, I
reported the outage
to the power
company, went back
to bed, pulled the
covers over my head,
snuggled in and
surprisingly, slept
pretty well despite
the barrage of water
hitting my QTH. The
next morning the
power was back on
and I discovered
that one of the
residual current
devices, the one
that powered most,
if not all, the wall
sockets had tripped.
I reset it and much
to my surprise, most
of my QTH came back
to life.
I say most,
because after
breakfast I had a
moment to switch on
my radios and see
what, if any, damage
there was. I could
hear and trigger the
local repeater, but
HF was strangely
dead. I could hear
the coax switches
turning on and off,
but the SWR on the
antenna was high and
it didn't appear
that the antenna
coupler was doing
anything. It's
powered remotely
using a device
called a Bias-T. You
use two of them to
transport a power
supply voltage along
your antenna coax.
In my case, I inject
12 Volts in my
shack, and extract
the 12 Volts at the
other end near the
antenna where it
powers the antenna
coupler.
Occasionally the
antenna coupler
needs a reset, so I
removed the power,
waited a bit and
reconnected. Still
no response from the
coupler, so I
disconnected the
power and left it
for another time.
A few days later
I had a moment to
investigate further,
so I went outside to
check out the
antenna and coupler.
Both looked fine. I
removed and
reinserted the
power, heard a
click, but wasn't
sure since a car
came barrelling down
the road at the same
time, so tried again
and heard nothing.
At this point I
decided that this
warranted a full
investigation and
started putting
together a mental
list of things I'd
need. I wanted to
test the coupler
when it was
isolated, I wanted
to do a
time-domain-reflectometry,
or TDR test, to see
if anything had
changed. This test
uses the RF
reflection of a
cable to determine
its overall length
and any faults like
a cable break, high
or low resistance
and any joints. If
you have a Nano VNA
or an antenna
analyser, you can do
this test. It did
occur to me that I
didn't have a
baseline to compare
with, so that was
disappointing, but I
added it to the
list.
First thing to
test was to check if
the radio had been
affected. I turned
it on, did the same
tests and discovered
that the Bias-T was
still disconnected,
which could explain
why I didn't hear a
click when I tested
a second time. Armed
with a level of
confidence around
power, I tried again
to trigger the
antenna coupler and
got nothing, dread
building over the
potential loss of a
radio in the storm,
I set about swapping
my HF antenna to
another radio.
At this point I
was reminded of an
incident, 37 years
ago, as a high
school student
during a class
outing. My wonderful
and inspirational
physics teacher,
Bart Vrijdaghs, took
us to the local
University where the
head of the Physics
Department of the
University of Leiden
gave us a tour of
their facilities. He
took us into a
student lab full of
oscilloscopes and
tone generators and
set-up a
demonstration to
show us how you
could generate
Lissajous figures.
He was having some
trouble making it
work and with the
impertinence
reserved for
teenagers I quoted a
then popular IBM
advertisement from
1985, "Of Je Stopt
de Stekker Er In",
which loosely
translates to asking
if he had plugged it
in.
I can tell you,
if looks could kill,
I wouldn't be
telling this story.
Suffice to say,
it wasn't. Plugged
in, that is.
Back to my HF
antenna.
Yeah. It was
already plugged into
the other radio, so,
unsurprisingly it
was unable to send
any RF to, or from,
the first radio,
much like some of
the advanced
telepathic printers
I've had the
pleasure of fixing
during my help desk
days a quarter of a
century ago.
After all that, I
can tell you that HF
seems to work as
expected. The beacon
is back online and I
have some work ahead
of me to create some
baseline TDR plots
and perhaps a
check-in, check-out
board to keep track
of what's plugged in
where.
That and looking
for another UPS,
since keeping the
computer it's
connected to up and
running, at least
long enough to
properly shut down,
would be good.
What other
lessons can you take
away from lightning
hitting nearby?
I'm
Onno VK6FLAB
QSO Today
Bruce Prior,
N7RR
Bruce
Prior, N7RR,
loves to operate
SOTA in
Washington
State’s great
outdoors where
he has cataloged
for SOTA all of
the available
mountain peaks
in the state.
I had the
great pleasure
of spending an
afternoon last
week with Bruce
in Washington,
activating Mt.
Walker in
Washington’s
Olympic Mountain
range.
My first SOTA
activation where
I learned the
basics of SOTA
activation. This
was a great
opportunity to
get to know my
guest in this
week’s
QSO Today
The John O'Groat
Journal reports
members of the
Caithness Amateur
Radio Society (CARS)
took part in a
contact event May
7-8 in the British
mainland's most
northerly mill at
John O'Groats
Plans to
transform John
O’Groats Mill into a
visitor attraction
and community hub
had a further boost
with the visit by
CARS members to use
the historic
building for
contacting other ham
radio enthusiasts.
Nigel Mansfield
MM7BWT, CARS club
secretary, said:
"Called Mills on the
Air, clubs all over
the UK and Europe,
operating from all
types of mills,
tried to raise as
many contacts as
possible through the
medium of amateur
radio.
"With
thanks to the mill
trust, we operated
from the most
northerly mill in
mainland UK, John
O'Groats corn mill,
currently under
restoration and a
interesting location
to work from. Using
two radios and
antenna’s we raised
many contacts from
mills in Europe and
the UK."
Ofcom and the
RSGB developed the
successful
technology neutral
amateur radio
licence in 2006. Now
Ofcom is proposing
making mobile phone
company licences
technology neutral
Ofcom is
consulting on
proposed changes to
certain spectrum
licences held by
Vodafone and
Telefónica, which
would allow them to
deploy new
technologies,
including 5G.
Our licences
specify technical
parameters to which
licensees must
adhere, including
the frequencies they
may use and the
maximum power they
may transmit.
In response to
requests from
Vodafone and
Telefónica, we are
proposing changes to
the technical
conditions for the
following mobile
licences:
•
Vodafone’s licences
in the 900 MHz, 1800
MHz, 2100 MHz and
2.6 GHz spectrum
bands to make them
technology neutral,
to enable the
deployment of the
next generation of
mobile technologies;
and • Vodafone’s
and Telefónica’s 2.6
GHz licences in the
2570 to 2620 MHz
sub-band to relax
the technical
parameters between
the two operators.
While the
changes would vary
these licences, we
propose to make
available similar
changes to the
licences of other
licensees operating
in these spectrum
bands, if they so
request.
US
MILITARY EXPLORES
WIDER USE OF HF IN
INDO-PACIFIC
SKEETER/ANCHOR: Our
top story this week
puts HF radio in the
spotlight with some
new recognition for
its increased
importance in
national defense. In
the United States,
the military is
exploring ways to
expand its use of
the HF bands in one
region of the world.
Kevin Trotman N5PRE
has that report.
KEVIN: HF radio
is making a comeback
for the United
States military,
which has been
struggling with
reliable means of
over-the-horizon
communication in the
Indo-Pacific. That
massive region's
communications needs
are served largely
by undersea fiber
cables and
satellites, both of
which are deemed
vulnerable to both
deliberate and
accidental damage.
The U.S. Defense
Information Systems
Agency is eyeing HF
as a reliable backup
should an
interruption occur
in either of the
other two delivery
modes.
Officials
acknowledge that
HF's slower data
transmission rate
and the military's
use of a smaller
bandwidth would not
make HF ideal for
fulltime
connectivity but it
is nonetheless a
viable alternative
when no other option
exists.
According to an
article in Signal, a
publication of the
nonprofit AFCEA,
testing is already
underway in the part
of the Pacific that
includes Malaysia,
Australia, Fiji and
Singapore. The
Indo-Pacific
Command's relief
network has been
testing HF out as
part of its
humanitarian
assistance and
disaster relief
work, using a
transmitter in Oahu.
Meanwhile, a
combat
communications
squadron of the
United States Air
Force, based in
Guam, is working
with the single
sideband shortwave
transmitters of the
Air Force High
Frequency Global
Communications
System for voice
communications.
Elsewhere, modes
used in the annual
Pacific Endeavor
interoperability
exercise are being
widened to include
newer HF
technologies for
basic data
communications. One
official told the
Signal website that
these actions are
being taken to
expand the mode's
reliability.
Beyond compensating
for satellite and
fiber optic
vulnerability,
officials say they
also look forward to
the next generation
of HF technology
which will allow
higher speeds and
wideband
transmission, making
full-motion video
possible for
surveillance,
airborne
intelligence and
related activities
from the air.
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Kevin Trotman N5PRE.
(THE AFCEA
SIGNAL)
**
AMATEURS IN US PREP
FOR HURRICANE
READINESS TEST
SKEETER/ANCHOR:
If you live in a
hurricane-prone part
of the United States
- or you are
interested in being
of assistance, this
next report from Sel
Embee KB3TZD is for
you.
SEL: The
National Hurricane
Center in Miami,
Florida and the VoIP
Hurricane Net will
be conducting a test
on May 28th that is
designed to let
amateurs everywhere
evaluate their
shack's
storm-readiness.
Propagation
permitting, the
Hurricane Watch Net
W-X-4-N-H-C will be
on the air on
7-decimal-268 MHz
and 14-decimal-325
MHz from 1300 UTC to
2100 UTC. Postings
on the spotting
networks will
indicate if
operators need to
QSY. The VoIP
Hurricane Net will
be active from 2000
UTC to 2100 UTC on
I-R-L-P Node 9219
and EchoLink
Conference Node
7203.
Atlantic hurricane
season begins on the
United States' East
Coast on June 1st
and continues
through November
30th. During the
test, operators will
exchange signal
reports, location
information, and
basic weather data.
W-X-4-N-H-C will
also be on the air
on VHF, UHF, 2- and
30-meter APRS, and
Winlink with the
email address w x 4
n h c at winlink dot
org
(wx4nhc@winlink.org)
The subject line
must contain stroke
stroke W L Two K
("//WL2K"). Contacts
will also be made on
Florida's Statewide
Amateur Radio
Network, the SARNet.
QSL cards will
be available from
Julio Ripoll,
W-D-4-R.
For
Amateur Radio
Newsline, I'm Sel
Embee,
K-B-3-T-Zed-D.
(WX4NHC)
**
SILENT
KEY: PHILANTHROPIST,
QUALCOMM FOUNDER
FRANKLIN ANTONIO,
N6NKF
SKEETER: The founder
of chipmaker
Qualcomm and a
longtime AMSAT
supporter has become
a Silent Key. We
hear more about him
from Andy Morrison
K9AWM.
ANDY:
Franklin Antonio,
N6NKF, cofounded
Qualcomm, a company
whose chips helped
spur the success of
wearable medical
equipment,
cellphones and other
tech devices. The
lifelong engineer
and amateur radio
operator was also a
generous and
enthusiastic
supporter of AMSAT.
Franklin became
a Silent Key
recently and,
according to several
reports, his death
was unexpected. His
passing was
announced on May
13th by Qualcomm,
where he had been a
leading force in
their engineering
departments.
Qualcomm did not
release the date or
cause of his death.
A philanthropist,
Franklin recently
gave a gift of
$30-million to his
alma mater, the
University of
California San
Diego. He also made
a $3-mllion donation
to the Allen
Telescope Array for
a new broadband
antenna feed for its
work for the SETI
Institute, which
studies deep space
for life beyond
Earth. Franklin
wrote AMSAT's
popular Instant
Track orbital
software.
He
was 69 years old.
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Andy Morrison K9AWM.
(AMSAT, UC SAN
DIEGO, SAN DIEGO
UNION-TRIBUNE)
** RSGB
OFFERS NEW
INCENTIVES FOR
FOUNDATION LICENSE
HOLDERS
SKEETER/ANCHOR: New
hams in the UK have
a whole array of new
reasons to get
involved, get on the
air and get even
more enjoyment out
of amateur radio. A
series of award
certificates will be
issued to help them
mark each
achievement they
make in their new
journey. Jeremy Boot
G4NJH explains how
it works.
JEREMY: Foundation
licence holders in
the UK can earn
certificates that
encourage them to
move forward in
their on-air
activities and
progress toward
Intermediate and
Full licence level.
The Radio Society of
Great Britain is
calling the
incentive program
"Brickworks,"
because its goal is
to build on the
Foundation. Its
national release two
years ago was slowed
by the pandemic and
subsequent lockdown
so the Society is
breathing new life
into it by actively
encouraging clubs
and individuals to
sign up. With the
assistance of local
clubs, newcomers can
mark their
achievements by
attending club
meetings, writing
software,
undertaking
construction
projects, logging
QSOs and getting
involved in
contests. Yes, even
making a cup of tea
for the next club
meeting counts
toward points.
Certificates are
available at the
silver, gold,
platinum and diamond
level.
If
you're interested in
joining the
programme, contact
your nearest
Brickworks club.
There is a
searchable map that
serves as a
Brickworks Club
Finder, showing
locations throughout
the UK.
Clubs
are also being
encouraged to
contact the RSGB to
register and become
accredited for the
Brickworks
programme.
Previously
registered clubs do
not need to
re-register.
Find the map and
other details at
rsgb dot org stroke
brickworks
(rsgb.org/brickworks)
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(RSGB, ESSEX
HAM)
**
NORTH CAROLINA
AMATEURS TAKE ON
MARATHON CHALLENGE
SKEETER/ANCHOR:
There's more than
one way to run a
marathon, and as
hams in North
Carolina found out
recently, some of
the biggest winners
in the race cross
the finish line with
their radios. George
Zafiropoulos KJ6VU,
brings us that
report.
GEORGE: Spectators
watching the New
River Marathon on
Saturday, May 14th
applauded the
winners as they
crossed the finish
line but some of the
biggest honors went
to the Ashe County
Amateur Radio Club.
Operating at the
North Carolina race
for the first time,
club members
provided realtime
status of the racers
and kept a close
watch on competitors
in distress. Paul
Raiche (pronounced
RAYSH), N1XI (N One
Ex Eye), club
president, said 11
amateurs covered
nine support stops,
operated two roving
vehicles along the
race routes and
maintained a base
station at the
finish line.
Operators used
mobile radios on 2
meters simplex, with
at least 50 watts of
power. The base
station had a
vertical antenna
raised 20 feet high.
Because this was
the first time the
club was responsible
for coverage of the
race, everything had
to be just right.
Paul said that even
when something went
wrong -- and one
runner could not
finish the course --
the hams were able
to get to her within
minutes after being
notified that she
needed help.
Paul said the race
director, Ken
Sevensky, told him
afterward he heard
[quote] "nothing but
great things from
both runners and
volunteers about the
job our club did."
[end quote] For this
group of
enthusiastic
first-time marathon
supporters, it was
good to be in the
running even without
lacing up those
sneakers. Paul told
Newsline: [quote]
"We are hopeful that
we will be invited
back next year and
our goal then will
be to do an even
better job than we
did this year."
[endquote]
For Amateur Radio
Newsline, I'm George
Zafiropoulos, KJ6VU.
(ASHE POST AND
TIMES, PAUL RAICHE,
N1XI)
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to
identify your
station. We are the
Amateur Radio
Newsline heard on
bulletin stations
around the world
including the K5DUR
repeater in Rowlett
Texas on Sundays at
7 p.m. local time.
**
NOMINATION
DEADLINE NEARS FOR
YOUNG HAM OF THE
YEAR AWARD
SKEETER/ANCHOR: The
nomination deadline
is closer than you
think for the
Amateur Radio
Newsline Bill
Pasternak Memorial
Young Ham of the
Year Award. This
honor is given to a
young radio operator
with the kind of
skill and dedication
so valued by
Newsline's late
cofounder Bill
Pasternak WA6ITF.
Perhaps one of these
youngsters will be
the next award
recipient. Consider
nominating an
amateur radio
operator 18 years of
age or younger in
the continental
United States with
talent, promise and
a commitment to the
spirit of ham radio.
Find application
forms on our website
arnewsline.org under
the "YHOTY" tab.
Nominations close
May 31st - and that
is coming up fast.
**
SCOUTS
OFFER HAMVENTION
LANYARDS AND TICKET
LAMINATION
SKEETER/ANCHOR: Are
you headed to
Hamvention? If
you're looking for
an inexpensive but
extremely handy
Hamvention souvenir,
the Boy Scouts
Venture Crew 73 has
just what you need
and Don Wilbanks
AE5DW has what you
need to know.
DON: Once again,
the best Hamvention
souvenir is one of
the least expensive
and most useful.
It's the 2022
Hamvention lanyard
available from the
Boy Scouts Venture
Crew 73, led by
George Ewing,
WD8NHI. As you get
ready to pass inside
the main gate at the
Greene County
Fairgrounds look for
the Venture Crew
tent. Go inside and
for just $5 you can
get your Hamvention
2022 lanyard and
have your Hamvention
ticket laminated to
hang around your
neck. No more
fumbling for your
ticket at the
entrance to the
tents and buildings,
your ticket is right
there and visible
for security to see.
Best of all, you
can't lose your
ticket! While you're
at it go ahead get
the full color
Hamvention 2022
patch from the
Scouts, also $5.
This patch features
a loop so you can
hang it securely
from, you guessed
it, your lanyard! If
you're in too much
of a hurry to get
inside the gate you
can pass by booth
4011 in the building
with the prize drum
and get your lanyard
and patch there. It
also makes a great
gift for your ham
friends who couldn't
make it to
Hamvention this year
and as gifts for the
next club meeting or
prizes for the next
hamfest. Support
Venture Crew 73 and
get one of the most
useful and least
expensive items at
Hamvention. That's a
win all the way
around.
For
Amateur Radio
Newsline I'm Don
Wilbanks AE5DW.
** HAM RADIO
JOINS SWISS
'ADVENTURE
EXPERIENCE'
SKEETER: TunBasel
(Tunn Bah-Zull), an
interactive
adventure experience
for young people in
Switzerland, is
encouraging children
to engage in playful
experiments with
everything from soap
to digital avatars
to amateur radio.
Youngsters from 7 to
13 years of age will
combine recreation
with learning in
this science-focused
environment over the
course of several
days. On May 22nd,
the Union of Swiss
Shortwave Amateurs,
or USKA, will be
among the
presenters, which
includes an array of
noted universities.
The hams will
demonstrate
shortwave, UHF and
VHF communications
and guide the
children through a
kit-building
exercise. The
TunBasel website
says the event is
designed to showcase
and nurture young
talent.
(SOUTHGATE)
** AUSTRALIAN
REGULATOR MAKES
FEE-CALCULATION TOOL
AVAILABLE
SKEETER/ANCHOR: The
sometimes confusing
task of figuring out
the correct fee for
an apparatus license
in Australia could
become a little less
confusing soon.
Graham Kemp VK4BB
explains.
GRAHAM: Hams in
Australia have a new
tool to help them
calculate the
apparatus licence
fee for their
shacks. The
Australian
Communications and
Media Authority has
made a fee
calculator available
to help find what
the AMCA is calling
"the most
cost-efficient
licence option" for
amateurs and holders
of other radio
licences. The fees
relate to the
operation of a
radiofrequency
transmitter or
receiver.
The
ACMA has said that
the calculator will
receive regular
updates with respect
to pricing and other
options. For a link
to the calculator,
see the text version
of this week's
Newsline script at
arnewsline.org
[FOR PRINT, DO
NOT READ:
http://www.openspec.com.au/fee-calculator
]
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(ACMA)
**
AMERICAN LEGION POST
GETS NEW HAM CLUB
SKEETER/ANCHOR:
Congratulations to
American Legion Post
289 in Clarksville,
Tennessee where
members recently
formed an amateur
radio club, joining
other American
Legion posts on the
air. According to a
story on the
Clarksville Now
website, Larry
Johnson K4JOH, a
member of the post,
was one of the key
people in getting
the club established
for the local
military veterans'
group. One of its
big activities
planned for later
this year is to host
the Boy Scouts'
Jamboree on the Air
in October with help
from the Clarksville
Amateur Transmitting
Society.
The
American Legion's
National Executive
Committee approved
amateur radio
activities at its
posts in 2011.
(CLARKSVILLE
NOW, QRZ)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of
DX, members of the
Voice of Toyoake
Amateur Radio Club,
JH2ZCW, are using
the special callsign
8N2TY from Toyoake
City, Aichi, Honshu
Island, AS-007,
until November 30th.
Operators are
commemorating the
50th anniversary of
the Toyoake City. Be
listening on 160m to
1.2 GHz where they
will be using
various modes. QSL
via LoTW, eQSL or
direct.
For
signals from Cape
Verde, listen for
Pierre, HB9AMO,
Philippe, HB9ARF,
and Marco, HB9CAT,
using the callsign
D4Z from Sao Vicente
Island, AF-086,
during the CQWW WPX
contest taking place
on May 27th and
28th. QSL via LoTW.
The station may also
be on the air before
and after the
contest.
Listen for Rafael,
EA5XV, who hopes to
be on the air from
Panama as EA5XV/HP1
between June 28th
and September 12th.
Listen for him on
SSB. Send QSLs to
his home call.
Fabian, DF3XY,
will be active as
3B8/DF3XY from
Mauritius, AF-049,
between May 21st and
June 2nd. Be
listening on 40, 30
and 20 meters where
Fabian will be using
mostly FT8. QSL via
DF3XY, direct, by
the Bureau or eQSL.
Fabian also welcomes
cards from shortwave
listeners.
Koh, JA1ADT, will be
on the air as JD1AJD
from Ogasawara,
AS-031, between June
24th and July 2nd.
Listen on 20-6
meters where he will
be using CW and FT8.
His operation will
concentrate on 6m
for Europe and North
America. Send QSLs
to his home
callsign.
(OHIO PENN DX)
** KICKER:
CARRYING A MEMORIAL
MESSAGE WITH FLAGS
INSTEAD OF RADIOS
SKEETER/ANCHOR:
There will be
recognition and
honor for the
Highland Amateur
Radio Association
when the ham world
gathers at the
Greene County
Fairgrounds in
Xenia, Ohio on the
weekend of May 20th
to 22nd. The
southern Ohio club
was named Hamvention
Club of the Year.
Just a week ago,
however, club
members themselves
were the ones
bestowing highest
honors. They did so
without formality or
fanfare. Ralph
Squillace KK6ITB has
our final story.
RALPH: On
Saturday, May 14th,
carrying small
American flags
instead of radios, a
dozen or so Ohio
amateurs planted
each one at a burial
plot for more than a
thousand military
veterans at the city
cemetery in
Hillsboro, Ohio. It
was a quiet act by
the Highland Amateur
Radio Association,
which first stepped
in three years ago
when the local
Scouts became unable
to continue the
tradition. John
Levo, W8KIW, the
club's public
information officer,
said many of the
graves date back to
the Revolutionary
War. He said that
this year, a flag
was also placed at
one of the newer
graves: Vietnam
veteran Floyd
Colville, KD8SIK, a
beloved club member
who became a Silent
Key late last year,
having succumbed to
the effects of Agent
Orange. John said
Floyd was one of
those who worked
side by side with
the team, installing
those same flags
during the previous
two years. Placed
just two weeks shy
of America's
official observance
of Memorial Day, the
flags will stay in
place until the
summer is through.
So too will the
message each one
carries — in this
case, not in words
transmitted over the
air but delivered
instead from the
heart.
FRIDAY
EDITION: A
nice blast of heat
arriving here on
Cape Ann this
weekend, long
overdue....Members
of the Caithness
Amateur Radio
Society (CARS) took
part in a contact
event at the weekend
in the British
mainland's most
northerly mill at
John O'Groats. Plans
to
transform John
O’Groats Mill into a
visitor attraction
and community hub
had a further boost
with the visit by
CARS members to use
the historic
building for
contacting other ham
radio enthusiasts.
...XENIA — After
nearly three years,
Hamvention is back.
The convention is
the world’s largest
amateur radio
gathering at Greene
County Expo Center,
according to the
event’s website.
Around 30,000
visitors are
expected to come to
the event from
across the world.
...A
small brewery in
Finland has launched
a NATO-themed beer
to mark the Nordic
country’s bid
to join the
Western military
alliance. ....
Franklin
Antonio, N6NKF, SK
Phil Karn, KA9Q
writes: "Last night
I got the sad news
thatFranklin
Antonio, N6NKF, one
of the founders of
Qualcomm and my boss
for most of my 20
years there, has
passed away.
In recent years
he'd turned to
philanthropy, giving
$30M to the
University of
California San Diego
(UCSD) for a
building named after
him. The dedication
was just two days
ago, and he didn't
show up.
He'd also donated
$3M to the Allen
Telescope Array for
a new broadband
antenna feed, but
more importantly he
had provided them
with a lot of
engineering
management and
guidance that will
be impossible to
replace.
AMSAT members
probably know him
best as the author
of the Instant Track
orbital tracking
software that AMSAT
sold for many
years."
Bob McGwier, N4HY
writes: Franklin and
Mike Valentine
donated money to
AMSAT GEO P4B
development that got
us all the way to
yes from the USAF
and NASA. He was
always after me to
do more for SETI
Institute and the
Allen Telescope
Array. He was
instrumental in
support of first
four Microsats. When
we got the flight
computers, they
arrived "some
assembly required".
He ordered the
Qualcomm
microelectronics lab
to help fix the
assembly issues with
the first ever 8
layer boards flown
to orbit. When we
had things to
discuss, we would
ride around in his
big white Cadillac
convertible. The
back seat was loaded
with empty soda
cans. He was
infamous at Qualcomm
for occasionally
dumping many of the
cans near his
parking spot. The
grounds crew was
prepared and cleaned
them up quickly.
Whenever I
visited in the newer
building that
contained his
office, he
encouraged me to
ride his Segway
around the floor,
where all the C
suite offices were
located.
I will miss this
brilliant eccentric
engineer. RIP
Franklin.
RIP to a friend
of AMSAT.
Man
over-board
The
NRRL
News
Bulletin
details
how a
Norwegian
radio
amateur
helped a
sailor
to be
rescued.
In
addition
to being
an avid
radio
amateur,Geir,
LA5ZOis
also an
avid
sailor.
He is
currently
in port
in
Horta,
on the
island
of Faial
on the
Azores
with his
Ocean
Viking
sailboat.
On
Thursday
evening
at 2341
UTC he
received
an
emergency
call via
Digital
Selective
Call
(DSC) on
12 MHz.
The call
came
from the
Hong
Kong
registered
Bulk
Carrier
M/V
Shandong
Fu Xin
which is
on its
way from
New
Orleans
on a
course
for the
Panama
Canal.
They
reported
a "Man
Overboard"
and
stated
their
position
as 27.39
degrees
North
and
88.49
degrees
East.
Geir
checked
the
position
on a the
map and
found
that it
had to
be
wrong.
The
given
position
was
ashore
in
Bangladesh.
He had
the
ship's
MMSI
number
and
searched
for it
on the
MarineTraffic
website.
There he
found
the
actual
position,
88
degrees
West
instead
of 88
degrees
East,
about
100
nautical
miles
South of
New
Orleans.
He then
phoned
the US
Coast
Guard
that
cover
the
area.
They had
not
received
any DSC
call and
thanked
for info
and said
they
would
call the
ship on
satellite
phone.
On
Friday
Geir,
LA5ZO
read
online
that
following
a search
the
sailor
had been
found by
an
aircraft
with a
heat-seeking
camera,
and then
been
saved by
a
helicopter.
He was
wearing
an
inflatable
working
vest.
This
case
ended
well.
One
man's
curiosity
became
another
man's
rescue.
IRTS
DX
News
from the
ARRL
This
week's
bulletin
was made
possible
with
information
provided
by
HA0HW,
The
Daily
DX, the
OPDX
Bulletin,
425 DX
News,
DXNL,
Contest
Corral
from QST
and the
ARRL
Contest
Calendar
and
WA7BNM
web
sites.
Thanks
to all.
MAURITIUS,
3B8.
Fabian,
DF3XY is
QRV as
3B8/DF3XY
until
June 2.
Activity
is
holiday
style on
40, 30,
and 20
meters
using
SSB and
FT8. QSL
to home
call.
GUINEA,
3X.
Jean-Philippe,
F1TMY is
QRV as
3X1A
from
Conakry.
Activity
is on
160 to 6
meters,
and on
Satellite
QO-100.
His
portable
activities
take
place
from the
Los
Islands,
IOTA
AF-051.
His
length
of stay
is
unknown.
QSL via
Club
Log.
THE
GAMBIA,
C5.
Gerard,
F5NVF,
Abdel,
M0NPT,
and Luc,
F5RAV
will be
QRV as
C5C from
Kololi
from May
22 to
June 8.
Activity
will be
on 80 to
6 meters
using
CW, SSB,
FT8,
FT4, and
on
Satellite
QO-100.
On May
29, they
plan to
be QRV
as C5B
from
Bijol
Island,
IOTA
AF-060,
from
0800 to
1600z.
QSL
direct
to
F5RAV.
ANGOLA,
D2.
Mikalai,
UT6UY is
working
in the
hospital
in
Cabinde.
He is
active
as D2UY
in his
spare
time on
40, 20,
15, and
10
meters
using
mostly
CW. His
length
of stay
is
unknown.
QSL via
operator's
instructions.
SPAIN,
EA.
Special
event
callsign
EH40URV
is QRV
until
May 29
to
celebrate
the 40th
anniversary
of the
Union de
Radioaficionados
de
Vizcaya.
QSL via
EA2URV.
CANARY
ISLANDS,
EA8.
Special
event
station
EF0F/8
will be
QRV from
La Isla
Bonita
in the
His
Majesty
King of
Spain CW
contest.
QSL via
bureau.
HUNGARY,
HA.
Special
call
HG0WFF
will be
QRV from
the
Hungarian
Flora
and
Fauna
reference
HA FF
0025
Kesznyeten
TK on
May 21
and 22.
Activity
is on
160 to 6
meters
using
CW, SSB,
and
various
digital
modes
with 20
operators
active.
QSL via
HA0HW.
HAITI,
HH.
Members
of the
Radio
Club
d'Haiti
are QRV
as
HH18MAI
until
May 23
to
commemorate
the
creation
of the
flag of
Haiti.
QSL via
N2OO.
ITALY,
I.
Members
of the
United
Nations
Global
Service
Centre
ARC in
Brindisi
are QRV
as
4U29MAY
until
May 31.
QSL via
9A2AA.
MONGOLIA,
JT.
Andrey,
R9YU and
Gennady,
R5QA are
QRV as
JV0YU
from the
Bayan-Olgii
province
until
June 10.
Activity
is on
160
meters
to 70
centimeters
using
CW, SSB,
and FT8.
QSL via
RW6HS.
ALAND
ISLANDS,
OH0.
Keijo,
OG5O and
Raili,
OH2HOD
will be
QRV as
OH0/OG5O
and
OH0/OH2HOD,
respectively,
from
Lemland
Island,
IOTA
EU-002,
from May
21 to
27.
Activity
will be
on 160
to 6
meters,
including
60
meters,
using
CW, SSB,
RTTY,
FT8, and
FT4. QSL
via
LoTW.
SAO
TOME AND
PRINCIPE,
S9.
Ryan,
K0EFW is
QRV as
S9EFW
until
the end
of May.
Activity
is on
40, 20,
15, and
10
meters
using
SSB. QSL
to home
call.
GREECE,
SV.
Erwin,
DK5EW
will be
QRV as
SV8/DK5EW
from
Santorini,
IOTA
EU-067,
from May
23 to
28.
Activity
will be
mainly
on 2
meters
using
EME and
Meteor
Scatter.
QSL to
home
call.
TURKEY,
TA.
Byron,
KF8UN
will be
QRV as
TA/KF8UN
on May
23 and
24.
Activity
will be
mostly
on 20
meters
using
SSB. QSL
direct
to home
call.
ST.
KITTS
AND
NEVIS,
V4. Bob,
WX4G
will be
QRV as
V4/WX4G
from
Calypso
Bay, St.
Kitts,
from May
24 to
31.
Activity
will be
on 160
to 6
meters
using
CW, SSB,
FT8, and
FT4. He
plans to
be QRV
as V48A
in the
upcoming
CQ World
Wide WPX
CW
contest.
QSL to
home
call.
MARSHALL
ISLANDS,
V7.
Stewie,
WV7MS is
now QRV
as V73MS
from
Kwajalein
Atoll
while
working
as a
firefighter.
Activity
is in
his
spare
time on
20, 17,
and 15
meters
between
0600 to
0900z.
QSL via
LoTW.
TURKS
AND
CAICOS
ISLANDS,
VP5.
Mario,
W4HBW is
QRV as
VP5MA
from
Providenciales
Island,
IOTA
NA-002.
Activity
is on
80, 40,
17, and
10
meters
using
FT8. His
length
of stay
is
unknown.
QSL
direct
to home
call.
KOSOVO,
Z6.
Bodo,
DF8DX
and
Rene,
DL2JRM
will be
QRV as
Z68QQ
from
Gjilan
from May
23 to
30. They
will be
active
as
Z66BCC
in the
upcoming
CQ World
Wide WPX
CW
contest.
QSL
Z68QQ
via
DF8DX
and
Z66BCC
via
DL2JRM.
THIS
WEEKEND
ON THE
RADIO
The NCCC
RTTY
Sprint,
NCCC CW
Sprint,
K1USN
Slow
Speed CW
Test,
SARL
VHF/UHF
Digital
Contest,
UN DX
Contest,
NZART
Sangster
Shield
80-Meter
CW
Contest,
YOTA
Contest,
His
Majesty
King of
Spain CW
Contest,
EU PSK
DX
Contest,
Arkansas
QSO
Party,
Feld
Hell
Sprint
and the
QRP ARCI
Hootowl
CW
Sprint
are
scheduled
for this
upcoming
weekend.
THURSDAY
EDITION: A
Monkey Pox case
in Massachusetts.
WTF! It came from
Africa, caught from
an infected monkey
to human....just
what possesses a man
to be fricking with
a
monkey?.....Marijuana
sales over 3 billion
in MA last year and
now they want to
open Cannabis Cafes,
the rise and fall of
a great nation....
Video: The
importance of Ham
Radio in disasters
Craig Fugate
KK4INZ was FEMA
Administrator during
hurricane Katrina
and saw firsthand
how important radio
amateurs are in a
disaster
He
gave this talk to
the Coastal Plains
Amateur Radio Club.
Watch Importance
of Ham Radio in
Disasters
The 415 Amateur
Radio Club announces
Summer Field Day
The 415 Amateur
Radio Club of
Crystal Lake, IL
will celebrate its
5th Anniversary by
again participating
in the ARRL’s 2022
Summer Field Day.
The public is
invited to attend
this demonstration
of Amateur “Ham”
Radio. Multiple
radio stations will
operate between 1 pm
Saturday, June 25th
and noon Sunday,
June 26th at 3208
Bay Road, Crystal
Lake, IL.
The 415 Amateur
Radio Club is a
local group of
licensed amateur
radio operators. Our
goal is to further
the hobby of amateur
radio, all while
having fun. We
invite you to visit
us during our Field
Day operations. If
you are interested,
you will have an
opportunity to
Get-On-The-Air using
one of our on-site
radios.
Please come join
us to see what
amateur radio has to
offer. Amateur radio
has something for
everyone. Some of
the many aspects
include:
Communications
via morse code,
digital modes and
voice, making new
friends locally,
within the United
States and around
the world. You
can also observe
communications to
the International
Space Station and
other satellites.
Slow Scan Television
that allows you to
share images you
create via radio
with other stations.
Plus, many other
areas of operation.
Our Summer Field Day
activities also
serve as practice
sessions to test our
ability to operate
under emergency
conditions using
temporary facilities
and off-grid power
so that we can
provide emergency
communications
within our local
communities as well
as disaster relief
throughout the
United States. These
services are
critical when there
is a loss of
internet access or
cell phone
communications.
Amateur radio
operators also
provide public
service
communications for
rallies and
community events and
they provide
educational
activities for young
people and others
interested in
amateur radio.
We would be
pleased to help you
start the process of
becoming a licensed
amateur radio
operator. If you
would like more
information, please
send an email to
GARY7753@yahoo.com .
Hamvention to kick
off this weekend in
Xenia; Thousands
expected to attend
After nearly three
years, Hamvention is
back.
The convention is
the world’s largest
amateur radio
gathering at Greene
County Expo Center,
according to the
event’s
website.
Around 30,000
visitors are
expected to come to
the event from all
over the world.
Michael
Kalter, the
spokesperson for
Hamvention, said
that based on
numbers from the
Greene County
Convention Visitors
Bureau, Hamvention
adds $30 million to
the local economy.
He said amateur
radio, also known as
ham radio, is
something people of
all ages and
backgrounds can be a
part of, which is
why he thinks the
convention draws
such a large crowd.
Kalter shared how it
feels to bring so
many people from
around the world
together. “That
makes me feel really
good,” Kalter told
News Center 7′s
Kayla McDermott.
“I’m glad that the
hobby seems to be
really growing and
flourishing,” he
added.
There are no
COVID-19
restrictions in
place for this
year’s convention.
With thousands of
people expected to
attend, safety is a
top priority. Before
entering the
convention center,
people must have
their bags checked.
The Greene County
Sheriff’s Department
said they have
prepared for the
event.
Major Shawn
Prall, with
the sheriff’s
office, said they
have a plan in place
to make sure traffic
moves along smoothly
as there are only
two lanes to get to
the grounds. Crews
will also keep an
eye on the weather,
in case there is a
chance for it to
turn severe. Prall
said this will be
his fourth
Hamvention and he
has never had an
incident. “We’re
taking precautions,
both that the public
will see in uniform
presence and also
things that they
can’t see. Just
trying to keep
everybody safe and
be ready for any
kind of incident,
whether it be
weather or manmade
or anything like
that,” Prall said.
The convention runs
this weekend 9
a.m.-6 p.m. Friday,
9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Saturday and 9
a.m.-1 p.m.
Saturday.
Amateur radio
observations
help monitor
space weather
Amateur
radio
observations
provide a
new method
for studying
large-scale
ionospheric
disturbances
and HF
communication
impacts, and
are
important
applications
in
ionospheric
space
weather
monitoring.
Large-scale
traveling
ionospheric
disturbances
(LSTIDs) are
variations
in the
ionosphere
with
wavelengths
greater than
1000
kilometers
and
periodicities
between 30
minutes and
3 hours.
Ionospheric
electron
density
fluctuations
associated
with LSTIDs
directly
affect radio
wave
propagations
passing
through the
ionosphere,
and thus can
be
detrimental
to
telecommunication
and
satellite
navigation
systems.
Frissell et
al. [2022]
show how
crowd-sourced
amateur
radio
observations
can be used
to study the
continental-scale
ionospheric
disturbances
in the
near-Earth
space
environment.
They found
that the
LSTID
signatures
in the
amateur
radio data
are well
correlated
with the
observations
made by
professional
scientific
instruments,
such as high
frequency
coherent
scatter
radars and
ground GSP
receivers.
This study
demonstrates
that citizen
science
observations
are vital to
ionospheric
research and
monitoring.
Citation:
Frissell, N.
A.,
Kaeppler, S.
R., Sanchez,
D. F.,
Perry, G.
W., Engelke,
W. D.,
Erickson, P.
J., et al.
(2022).
First
observations
of large
scale
traveling
ionospheric
disturbances
using
automated
amateur
radio
receiving
networks.
Geophysical
Research
Letters,
49,
e2022GL097879.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL097879
WEDNESDAY
EDITION:
Beautiful start to
the day here on the
ocean. I just
received my mooring
bill for the boat, I
guess I should at
least think about
getting it ready but
I am sure we won't
launch until late
June. ...How about
this clown, I
bet he has a ham
license....Yet
another frivolous
lawsuit...Solar-powered
desalination device
wins MIT $100K
competition. Nona
Desalination is
developing a
compact
water-desalination
device that
requires less
electricity than a
cell phone charger.
Ham
radio at
tunBasel
on May
22
Switzerland's
USKA
reports
amateur
radio
will be
demonstrated
at an
interactive
exhibition
in Basel
for
young
people
aged
7-13
A
translation
of the
USKA
post
reads:
tunBasel
is an
interactive
exhibition
for
children
and
young
people
(from 7
to 13
years of
age)
that
awakens
their
interest
in
technology
and the
natural
sciences
in a
playful
way.
Tinker,
experiment
and
experience.
tunBasel
is an
experience
laboratory,
an
experience
workshop,
its own
experience
show.
Careers
in
technology
and
science
are very
varied
and
exciting.
It is
important
to
introduce
pupils
to these
subjects
at an
early
age and
in a
playful
way in
order to
draw
attention
to their
attractiveness
and thus
counteract
the
shortage
of
skilled
workers.
At
this
adventure
show,
renowned
institutions
will
present
exciting
and
challenging
experiments
on an
area of
more
than
1,100 m2
to
amaze,
explore
and
discover.
School
classes
with
teachers
and
accompanying
persons,
as well
as
children
and
young
people
with
their
parents
–
everyone
is
welcome
at
tunBasel.
The
radio
amateurs
will
again be
represented
with two
stands.
Radio
communication
will be
demonstrated
live on
a
short-wave
station
and on a
VHF/UHF
station.
The
second
activity
is
“soldering
a drawer
alarm”.
Children
will be
allowed
to take
home the
kits
they
assemble
themselves.
Monday
to
Friday
are
reserved
for
pre-registered
school
classes.
On the
weekend,
families
come
with
their
children.
In
addition
to youth
work, we
can also
explain
to many
teachers
and
parents
what
“amateur
radio”
is.
USKA
would
like to
thank
all the
actively
participating
USKA
sections
(HB9BS,
FACB,
HB9NFB)
as well
as all
the
other
helpers.
Willi
Vollenweider
HB9AMC
The
latest
edition
of
ARRL Audio
News
podcast
for May
13, 2022
is
available
for
listening
now.
This
week's
edition
includes
an
update
for the
upcoming
Dayton
Hamvention®,
an
announcement
for the
Armed
Forces
Day
Cross-Band
Exercise
which be
held on
May 14,
and much
more.
ARRL
Audio
News is
a
summary
of the
week’s
top news
stories
in the
world of
amateur
radio,
along
with
interviews
and
other
features.
Enjoy
ARRL
Audio
News
anywhere:
on your
smart
phone or
tablet,
your
local
repeater,
or
stream
it on
the go!
Audio
News is
produced
for
ARRL by
John E.
Ross,
KD8IDJ, ARRL
News
Editor.
ARRL Audio
News is
distributed
through
the
podcast
host
Blubrry.com
and the
ARRL website
at
www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news.
You can
subscribe
to the
podcast
via your
IOS or
Android
mobile
device
using
your
favorite
podcast
app, or
listen
and
download
episodes
direct
from the
Audio
News
page at
Blubrry.
TUESDAY
EDITION:
A
beautiful
sunny start
to the day,
looks like I
might get
the deck
stained
today. A few
of us are
meeting on
May 29 for a
portable ops
day at nice
hilltop
location in
Rockport. I
need to get
up there and
shoot up a
line in a
few trees
and leave
them in
place in
advance to
make things
easy the day
of
activation.
I have used
the
homebuilt
pneumatic
gun so many
times I
can't count
the total...
Mobile
App
Available to
Navigate
2022 Dayton
Hamvention
Dayton
Hamvention®
is
offering
a free
mobile
app for
smartphones
and
tablets
to help
attendees
navigate
the
large-scale
event,
which
runs May
20 – 22
at the
Greene
County
Fairgrounds
and Expo
Center
in
Xenia,
Ohio.
The app,
which
was
introduced
in 2019,
is
offered
in a
collaborative
effort
with
ARRL
The
National
Association
for
Amateur
Radio®.
The
free
ARRL
Events
app is
now
available
and
already
includes
Hamvention’s
full
program,
so
attendees
can
browse
and
schedule
forums,
find
affiliated
events,
and
preview
the
extensive
list of
exhibitors.
During
the
event,
attendees
can use
other
app
features
to
follow
the
hourly
prize
drawings
populated
by the
Dayton
Hamvention
Prize
Committee,
and
browse
building
and site
maps.
Attendees
are also
encouraged
to tap
on the
MyProfile
icon in
the app
to add
their
name and
call
sign,
email
address,
and any
additional
information
they
would
like to
share
with
other
Hamvention
guests.
Additionally,
the
MyBadge
icon
displays
a QR
code of
your
event
badge
that can
be
scanned
by
another
attendee
or
exhibitor
using
the Scan
Badge
icon –
instantly
connecting
shared
contact
information
with
other
hams at
the
event.
The
app is
available
for
Apple
and
Android
smart
devices,
or
access
the web
browser
version
which is
optimized
for
nearly
any
browser
or other
type of
mobile
device.
Visit
your app
store to
download
the app
(search
“ARRL
Events”)
or
access
the
links
available
on the
ARRL
EXPO web
page. If
you’re
reading
this
article
on a
mobile
device,
click
here
to be
redirected
to the
appropriate
app
store,
or
redirected
to the
web
browser
version
(www.tripbuildermedia.com/apps/arrl).
Please
email
hamventionapp@arrl.org
with any
questions
about
the app.
Amateur
Radio
support
for
Ukraine
Mother's
Day
event
WIA
News
reports
tens of
thousands
of
mothers
and
children
have
left
their
home
without
a
father,
heading
to the
safety
of
nearby
countries
and away
from the
war-zone.
Amateur
Radio
was
suspended
in
Ukraine
on
February
24th,
but now
there is
an
allowance
obtained
to
transmit
amateur
radio
remotely,
by using
an
Ukraine
CEPT
license
as long
as the
RF
emissions
are not
from the
Ukrainian
soil.
Well-known
DXpeditioner
Alex,
UT5UY,
went on
the air
on May
4th as
EA4/UT5UY
using a
remote
station
in
Madrid,
Spain.
Amateur
Radio
was also
used
Mother's
day when
Alex
greeted
his
wife,
Sasha
and his
12 year
old son
Daniel,
currently
living
in
Finland.
This
is in
line
with
IARU's
theme:
"Never
Alone",
and
showcasing
the fact
that
Amateur
Radio
has an
important
role
even
during
the
world's
most
turbulent
times.
World-Wide
Digital
Contest June
4-5
In this
video
Matthew
K0LWC
talks about
the new
World-Wide
Digital
Contest
(WWDC) that
will take
place June
4-5
The ARRL has
announced a
new
worldwide
radio
contest -
the ARRL
International
Digital
Contest. It
will take
place during
the first
full weekend
in June
every year
and feature
FT8 and FT4
digital
modes. Yes,
you heard
that right.
The Amateur
Radio Relay
League has
created a
contest for
all the FT8
and FT4
digital fans
across the
world.
Is this
a good thing
for ham
radio? I
share my
thoughts and
give you all
the details
you need to
know about
the new
radio sport
contest!
====
FT-8
Recommended
Sub-bands
====
1.840-1.844
3.590-3.600
(No Digital
above 3600)
7.090-7.100
14.090-14.100
21.090-21.100
28.090-28.100
50.340 to
50.350
Watch
ARRL World
Wide Digital
Contest |
New Ham
Radio
Contest
MERKY MONDAY
EDITION:
Fogged in on
Cape Ann
this
morning, but
warm weather
feels
good....The
lobster
season may
open today,
it has been
closed while
right whales
migrate-
what
bullshit for
the coastal
lobsterman.
It costs
them tens of
thousands of
dollars due
to these
unfounded
regulations.....Congrats
to this
eight year
old for
getting his
FCC Tech
license....Make
yourself a
folding
knife,,,
The
Federal
Communications
Commission
has sent
notices to
several
property
owners of
alleged
pirate radio
activities
on their
properties.
The letters
from the
Enforcement
Bureau are
headlined
“Notice of
Illegal
Pirate Radio
Broadcasting.”
They remind
the owners
that federal
law now
provides for
fines of up
to $2
million “if
we determine
that you
have
continued to
permit any
individual
or entity to
engage in
pirate radio
broadcasting
from the
property
that you own
or manage.”
The bureau
said its
agents used
direction
finding
techniques
to source
these FM
signals. It
mailed
letters to
Richard
Manson for
broadcasts
on 103.5 MHz
in
Philadelphia
in January;
to Maria V.
Hernandez of
Kissimmee,
Fla., for
signals on
87.9 MHz in
Hazleton,
Pa., in
January; to
Edwin and
Joyce Pitt
of
Baltimore,
Md., for
signals on
91.3 in
February;
and to Kent
and Deanna
Coppinger
for signals
on 100.5 MHz
in La
Grande,
Ore., in
March. The
letters
provide
recipients
10 business
days to show
that they
are “no
longer
permitting
pirate radio
broadcasting
to occur at
the
property.”
The
commission
also asked
that the
owners
identify the
individual(s)
engaged in
pirate radio
broadcasting
on the
property.
The
FCC can find
these guys
but not the
idiots on
7200?
IARUMS
newsletter -
Possible
jammers
operating in
7 and 14 MHz
IARU
Monitoring
System
(IARUMS)
Region 1
newsletter
reports on
possible
jammer
stations
transmitting
with a
bandwidth of
8 kHz in the
7 and 14 MHz
amateur
radio bands
Among the
intruders
operating
regularly in
our bands,
radars were
once again,
in terms of
number,
duration and
power of
their
em\\\\\\issions,
the most
damaging
intrusions,
as can be
seen in the
graph in the
IARUMS
database.
Followed by
FSK CIS-##
type
transmissions
and other
military
modes, we
also
received
some pirate
emissions,
mostly in
the 10 m
band, in
addition to
the annoying
transmissions
of several
broadcasting
stations in
the 40 m
band.
Radio hams
to show off
skills
during Field
Day event
The
Record-Courier
reports
radio
amateurs
will
participate
in a
national
amateur
radio
exercise
over the
weekend of
June 25-26
The
newspaper
reports:
Hams
from across
North
America
participate
in Field Day
by
establishing
temporary
ham radio
stations in
public
locations to
demonstrate
their skill
and service.
Their use of
radio
signals,
which reach
beyond
borders,
bring people
together
while
providing
essential
communication
in the
service of
communities.
Field Day
highlights
ham radio’s
ability to
work
reliably
under any
conditions
from almost
any location
and create
an
independent,
wireless
communications
network.
The
Portage
County
Amateur
Radio
Service
(PCARS) will
be taking
part in the
annual
nationwide
Field Day
event with
temporary
emergency
style set
ups at the
Freedom
Township
Community
Park. There
will be
portable
radio
communication
stations
that include
alternative
energy
sources such
as
generators,
solar
panels, and
batteries to
power their
equipment.
This
year's event
is also
noteworthy
given that a
particularly
active
hurricane
and tornado
seasons are
predicted.
“Hams
have a long
history of
serving our
communities
when storms
or other
disasters
damage
critical
communication
infrastructure,
including
cell
towers,”
said PCARS
president
Nick Wagner,
AC8QG.
“Ham radio
functions
completely
independently
of the
internet and
phone
systems and
a station
can be set
up almost
anywhere in
minutes.
Hams can
quickly
raise a wire
antenna in a
tree or on a
mast,
connect it
to a radio
and power
source, and
communicate
effectively
with
others."
Two
students
aged 10
and 11
get ham
radio
licenses
The El
Defensor
Chieftain
reports
two
young
Socorroans,
Abby and
Matthew,
are
newly
licensed
amateur
radio
operators,
thanks
to an
afterschool
program
at
Cottonwood
Valley
Charter
School
and
their
own hard
work
The
newspaper
says:
Fifth-grader
Matthew
Price,
10,
thought
why not
give
becoming
an
operator
a try
since
his
whole
family
on his
dad’s
side are
licensed.
“It
also, it
has a
lot of
electrical
components
and
stuff,
so if
you
choose
to be an
electrician,
you get
a little
background
knowledge
on fuse
schematics,
a little
bit of
electrical
knowledge,”
said
Price.
Price
and
11-year-old
Abby
Cadol
had to
learn
about
ham
radio
rules
and
safety—grounds,
fuse
schematics,
and how
to avoid
getting
shocked.
They
also
made
their
own
antennas.
“I
always
thought
walkie-talkies
were
pretty
cool, so
I was a
little
excited
to learn
that
this is
like a
long-range
walkie-talkie,”
said
Cadol.
The
pair
practiced
answering
questions
every
Tuesday
after
school
with ham
radio
enthusiast
Jon
Spargo
KC5NTW
to
prepare
for
their
amateur
operator
license
test.
This is
the
thirteenth
year for
the ham
radio
group,
which is
open to
sixth,
seventh
and
eighth
graders.
Fifth
graders
are
welcome
if they
can
handle
some
simple
algebra.
“It’s a
hobby,
but
unlike a
lot of
other
hobbies,
it’s a
hobby
with
community
service
in
mind,”
said
Spargo.
The
Amateur
Radio
Emergency
Service
has an
agreement
with
Socorro
County
that
when
disaster
hits,
they
will go
to the
county
emergency
operations
center
and help
man the
radios.
A lot of
hams
belong
to
search
and
rescue
groups,
local
hobbyists
have
helped
with
mock
disaster
exercises
by
helping
the
ambulance
radio
and law
enforcement
radio
talk to
the
hospital,
and they
help out
with the
annual
Striders
and
Riders
triathlon.
Ham
radio
operators
communicate
when the
racecourse
is clear
and are
ready to
broadcast
if
there’s
an
emergency
on the
course.
In this
video
Arthur
DL2ART
takes at
look at
the
state of
amateur
radio in
the
United
Kingdom
and the
countries
of
Europe
The
video
tells
you:
• The
total
number
of
amateurs
in each
country
• Number
of
amateurs
in
relation
to
population
•
Developments
during
the last
50 years
in
several
countries
• The
license
classes
in
Europe
• The
minimum
and
maximum
power
usable
for each
class
• The
size of
the
question
bank
• The
number
of
questions
in the
exam
that you
must get
correct
•
How much
you have
to pay
for the
exam and
10 years
of ham
radio
Taxes
that are
imposed
by
regulators
in many
cases
annually
•
The size
of the
national
IARU
organization
Bear in
mind not
all the
information
in the
video is
the
latest.
When
attempting
to cover
so many
countries
it's
inevitably
difficult
to keep
everything
up-to-date.
Some
of the
information
given
reflects
what
happened
in the
past and
is no
longer
true,
for
example:
• DL2ART
says UK
has
Practical
Assessments
prior to
the
exam,
these
were
abolished
in 2020.
• The
number
of UK
amateurs
appears
very
slightly
exaggerated,
On
August
1, 2018,
Ofcom
reported
75,660
individuals
held
amateur
licenses
(potentially
up to 3
licenses
each).
In the 4
years
since
then
about
7,000
new
people
have got
a
Foundation
license
so the
total
would be
around
82,500.
• He
says
French
radio
amateur
have to
pay an
Exam Fee
and
Annual
Taxes.
The
annual
taxes
were
abolished
in 2019
and the
exam fee
scrapped
in 2021.
The
video is
in
German,
fortunately
YouTube
provide
a good
translation
facility
which
makes it
understandable.
Click on
the CC
(Closed
Captions)
icon and
the
subtitles
will
appear
then
click on
the
Settings
icon and
select
Auto-Translate
and
English.
On May 7th,
Cezar,
VE3LYC, did
a
presentation
on the
upcoming
Bouvet
Island
DXpedition
for 2023 at
the 2022
CDXC
(Chiltern DX
Club; The UK
DX
Foundation)
Convention,
Loughborough,
UK.
Cezar is one
of the 12
operators
going to
Bouvet. The
presentation
is 45
minutes long
and can be
viewed on
the
YouTube.com
Web page
here:
WEEKEND EDITION:
Fox to
pay $375 million
for future sport
broadcasting
when he retires
from football,
it makes you
feel like a piss
hole in the snow
when you look at
what you earned
over a
lifetime.....My
neighbor just
bought a Rivian,
an electric
truck. I
got a test drive
the other day.
It was
impressive to
say the least,
0-60 in 3
seconds, this
truck gets up
and goes but it
cost 70 grand!
Foundations of
Amateur Radio
When should I
go on air?
When you obtain
your license there's
a whole lot of
learning to be had
before you even get
started with your
first transmission,
but when you get
there you'll
discover that
learning has just
begun and the rest
of your life will be
beset with
challenges, quests,
discovery and
dawning
understanding.
One of the early
and recurring
questions is around
the best time to be
on air. Before I get
into the why, the
answer is, right
now.
This interminable
question will
continue to haunt
you throughout your
life, and the most
pressing answer will
be shaped around the
missed opportunity.
You'll discover
tools that assist
with predicting
propagation,
web-sites that
explain what the
various layers of
the ionosphere do
and how they affect
your ability to use
radio to make
contact with other
amateurs.
There's learned
discussion around
testing and tracking
propagation, special
modes that help
create your own maps
for your own station
and you'll discover
an endless supply of
experts who will
advise you when you
should power up your
transceiver and call
CQ.
Whilst I've only
been an amateur for
a short time. In the
decade to date I've
learnt one thing
about propagation.
Despite all the
tools, the
discussion, the maps
and forecasts, there
is no substitute for
actually getting on
air and making
noise. Over the past
while I've been
watching the
propagation from my
own shack using a
200 milliwatt beacon
and I've discovered
that running 24
hours a day, every
day, well, almost
every day, my signal
gets to places far
beyond my wildest
dreams.
I have also
discovered trends.
That is, the average
distance of the
signal reports is
increasing over
time. This isn't a
linear thing, not
even a recurring
thing, much like the
ebb and flow of the
tides, varying from
day to day, a little
bit at a time,
inexorably making
your shoes wet when
you least expect it.
While to some
extent we've tamed
the prediction of
the tides with
complex and
interrelated cycles,
discovered by using
Fourier transforms,
we're no-where near
achieving this level
of sophistication
for the ionosphere
and its associated
propagation.
Just like
predicting a
specific wave is
still beyond the
capabilities of a
tide table,
predicting the
ability of a radio
wave to make it from
your antenna to that
of another amateur
is beyond any tool
we have today.
Another way to
look at predicting
the complexity
associated with the
ionosphere is
comparing it to
weather forecasting.
We have national
forecasting bodies,
with millions of
sensors, super
computing cycles
that dwarf most
other research, a
global network of
satellite sensors,
roughly a quarter of
which have some form
of earth sensing
capability,
transmitting
terrabytes of data
every day and still
we cannot determine
where on Earth it's
going to rain
tomorrow.
The ionosphere,
whilst it's being
monitored, is not
nearly as well
resourced. It's not
nearly as visible to
the average person
as the packing of an
umbrella and the
political perception
of need is nowehere
near as urgent as
getting the weather
right.
So, absent
accurate
forecasting, finding
a better way to
determine when to
get on air is
required. That said,
I've discovered that
regret is the
biggest motivator to
get on air. The day
after a contest when
a friend made a
contact with an
amazing station, or
the lunch break
where I didn't power
the radio on to
discover a random
opening to a
clamouring horde of
calls looking to
make contact.
So, my best
advice to you is to
get on air whenever
you can. You might
not make a contact
every time, but
you'll discover what
the bands look like
right now and you'll
have the chance of
hitting the jackpot
with a rare contact
and truth be told, I
think your chances
of making a contact
are higher than
winning the lottery.
When you do take
that step, you'll
start discovering
the ebb and flow of
the bands, discover
the characteristic
sound that each band
makes and what a
band sounds like
when it's open and
when it's not.
You'll hear stations
far and wide,
discover that while
there are trends in
propagation, there
are no rules. From
one moment to the
next, you'll
discover the thrill
of hearing something
unexpected.
One thing to
consider, if you get
on air for the sole
purpose to make
contacts, you're
likely going to be
disappointed. It's
like fishing. Most
people don't get up
at some crazy hour,
sit on a damp jetty,
freezing parts of
their anatomy off
for the sole purpose
of catching fish.
So, get on air
and make some noise,
today.
I'm Onno
VK6FLAB
Communications
test to be held
on May 28
WX4NHC, the
amateur radio
station at the
National
Hurricane Center
(NHC) in Miami,
Florida, will
hold its annual
communications
test on
Saturday, May
28, 2022, 9 AM
to 5 PM EDT
(1300-2100 UTC)
The ARRL
report:
The event is
designed to
evaluate
WX4NHC's amateur
radio equipment
and antennas at
the headquarters
in Florida, and
to give
operators an
opportunity to
evaluate their
home equipment
prior to this
year's Atlantic
hurricane
season, which
starts on June 1
and runs through
November 30.
This event
allows ham radio
operators
worldwide to
hone their
amateur radio
communications
skills for times
of severe
weather.
Brief contacts
will be
available on
many frequencies
and modes, as
well as the
exchange of
signal reports
and basic
weather data
with any station
in any location.
WX4NHC will
be on the air on
HF, VHF, UHF, 2-
and 30-meter
APRS, and
Winlink at
wx4nhc@winlink.org
(subject must
contain
"//WL2K").
The
Hurricane Watch
Net 14.325 MHz
frequency will
be active for
most of the
test, as will
7.268 MHz,
depending on
propagation.
Depending on
man-made noise,
the net may move
to different
frequencies, and
participants can
locate the net
using one of the
DX spotting
networks, such
as the DX Summit
website at
www.dxsummit.fi
There
will also be a
Voice over
Internet
Protocol (VoIP)
Hurricane
Netfrom 4 - 5 PM
EDT, or 2000 -
2100 UTC (IRLP
Node
9219/EchoLinkWX-TALK
Conference Node
7203).
WX4NHC will make
a few contacts
on local VHF and
UHF repeaters,
as well as on
Florida's
Statewide
Amateur Radio
Network
(SARnet).
QSL cards
will be
available via
Julio Ripoll,
WD4R.
The BBC
report on
Marconi's first
successful radio
transmission of
a message across
open water made
on May 13, 1897
The
transmitter had
been set up on
Flat Holm island
in the Bristol
Channel on May
11. Initial
attempts to
receive a
message in
Lavernock failed
but on May 13
the messgae "CAN
YOU HEAR ME" was
received loud
and clear.
This week,
the sun
trembled. On May
10th, an
X1.5-class solar
flare produced
the first
sunquake of
Solar Cycle 25.
It was like an
earthquake
albeit orders of
magnitude more
powerful. See
the movie on
today's edition
of
Spaceweather.com.
Don't miss
another solar
flare: Subscribers
to our
Space Weather
Alert Service
receive instant
text messages
when strong
solar flares are
underway.
9
US schools moved
forward in ARISS
selection process
Amateur Radio on
the International
Space Station
(ARISS) is pleased
to announce the
schools/host
organizations
selected for the
January-June 2023
window.
A total of 9 of
the submitted
proposals during the
recent proposal
windowhave been
accepted to move
forward in the
processes of
planning to host a
scheduled amateur
radio contact with
crew on the ISS. The
primary goal of the
ARISS program is to
engage young people
in Science,
Technology,
Engineering, Arts
and Math (STEAM)
activities and raise
their awareness of
space
communications,
radio
communications,
space exploration,
and related areas of
study and career
possibilities.
The ARISS program
anticipates that
NASA will be able to
provide scheduling
opportunities for
the 9 US host
organizations during
the January-June
2023 time period.
They are now at work
completing an
acceptable equipment
plan that
demonstrates their
ability to execute
the ham radio
contact. Once their
equipment plan is
approved by the
ARISS Technical
Mentors, the final
selected
schools/organizations
will be scheduled as
their availability
and flexibility
match up with the
scheduling
opportunities
offered by NASA.
The schools and
host organizations
are:
Brentwood
Elementary
School of
Engineering
Raleigh, NC
Cache County
School
District
Millville,
UT
Council Rock
High School
South
Holland, PA
Fairview
Elementary
Olathe, KS
Lana’i High
and
Elementary
School
Lana’i City,
HI
Montross
Middle
School
Montross, VA
Norwich Free
Academy
Norwich, CT
Stone Magnet
Middle
School
Melbourne,
Fl
West
Michigan
Aviation
Academy,
High School
Grand
Rapids, MI
About ARISS:
Amateur
Radio on the
International Space
Station
(ARISS) is a
cooperative venture
of international
amateur radio
societies and the
space agencies that
support the
International Space
Station (ISS). In
the United States,
sponsors are the
Radio Amateur
Satellite
Corporation (AMSAT),
the American Radio
Relay League (ARRL),
the ISS National
Lab-Space Station
Explorers, Amateur
Radio Digital
Communications
(ARDC) and NASA’s
Space communications
and Navigation
program.
The
primary goal of
ARISS is to promote
exploration of
science, technology,
engineering, the
arts, and
mathematics topics.
ARISS does this by
organizing scheduled
contacts via amateur
radio between crew
members aboard the
ISS and students.
Before and during
these radio
contacts, students,
educators, parents,
and communities take
part in hands-on
learning activities
tied to space, space
technologies, and
amateur radio.
** REPORT:
HAM RADIO USED
ILLEGALLY ON TOUR
BOAT THAT SANK
NEIL/ANCHOR: Our
top story this week
takes us to Japan
where a report about
a fatal tour boat
accident says the
operator may have
made use of amateur
radio illegally. Jim
Meachen ZL2BHF takes
up the story from
here.
JIM: A
Japanese tour boat
that sank last
month, killing 11 of
the 26 people on
board, was making
use of amateur radio
illegally as one of
its main
communications
methods, according
to a report in one
of Japan's main
daily newspapers.
Japan's Radio Act
forbids the use of
amateur radio for
profit-making
purposes but
according to a
report on the
Mainichi Shimbun
news site, the Yazu
I tour boat relied
often on ham radio
to communicate with
the office, other
tour operators and
other ships.
The boat sank on
April 23 off the
Shiretoko Peninsula
of Hokkaido in the
northern Japanese
waters. The news
account said that it
was believed that
the captain of the
boat was unable to
get a signal on his
mobile phone and the
onboard satellite
phone was broken.
The news report said
that another
cellphone was used
to summon help but
did not identify who
it belonged to.
The report did
not say what kind of
distress led to the
boat's sinking, nor
did it say whether
anyone also used
amateur radio that
day to summon help.
Anyone found
guilty of violation
of the Radio Act
faces a possibility
of as much as one
year in prison or a
fine of 1 million
yen, the equivalent
of $7,700 in US
currency.
For
Amateur Radio
Newsline I'm Jim
Meachen ZL2BHF.
(MAINICHI
SHIMBUN, WASHINGTON
POST)
**
BRAZIL PASSES
REGULATION LIMITING
SOLAR PANEL RFI
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Brazilian lawmakers
have passed a tough
new law limiting RF
interference from
solar panels. Jeremy
Boot G4NJH brings us
the details.
JEREMY: Brazil took
an important step in
the containment of
solar panel RFI by
adopting new
regulations and
requirements that
took effect on the
2nd of May. The
ordinance governs
the generation,
conditioning and
storing of
electricity in
photovoltaic
systems. The move by
Brazil's National
Institute of
Metrology and
Quality was hailed
by amateur radio
operators, including
members of the
Spectrum Management
and Defense Group of
The Liga de Amadores
Brasileiros de Rádio
Emissão or LABRE,
the Brazilian
national amateur
group. The Brazilian
organisation
provided guidance
and feedback to the
national institute
with the help of the
electromagnetic
compatibility
coordinator of the
IARU and the ARRL.
A statement in
English translation
on the LABRE website
praises the new
regulation which
exceeds the language
of its 2011 version
by providing this
kind of RFI
protection for the
first time. In
translation into
English, LABRE
praised the measure,
calling it [quote]
"an effective
advance in the
protection of
radiocommunications
in Brazil against
interference
generated by
photovoltaic
systems." [endquote]
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(SOUTHGATE,
LABRE)
**
SILENT KEY: AMATEUR
NEWS WEEKLY CREATOR
PHIL THOMAS, W8RMJ
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Amateur Radio
Newsline has lost a
friend, a supporter
and a colleague:
Phil Thomas W8RMJ
has become a Silent
Key. Jack Parker
W8ISH tells us about
him.
JACK:
Members of the
Germantown Amateur
Radio Society in
Ohio learned of the
death of Phil Thomas
W8RMJ in an email
from the club's
president, Phyllis
Moyer, KE8CPM.
According to the
note, Phil became a
Silent Key on
Thursday night, May
5th. Phil was known
more widely in the
Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
area as the creator
of Amateur News
Weekly, a regional
news report bringing
local hams updates
about amateur radio
activities. Although
he had put
production of the
newscast on hold
recently because of
health issues, he
had hoped to restart
the reports when his
condition improved.
Listeners to Amateur
Radio Newsline were
also familiar with
Phil's voice: He was
an occasional
contributor to our
weekly global
newscast.
Phil was first
licensed in 1980 and
later took the
callsign of his late
father, Clem. Phil
and wife Rilda,
N8LJB, were licensed
at the same time.
Phil was a cofounder
of the Germantown
Amateur Radio
Society and had been
active in the
MidCars Amateur
Radio Service. The
MidCars website
lists him as one of
the net's regular
service control
operators.
At
the time of his
death he had been
looking forward to
attending Hamvention
later this month.
Phil was 70 years
old.
For
Amateur Radio
Newsline I'm Jack
Parker W8ISH.
** NEWSLINE'S
GRAHAM KEMP AMONG
WIA AWARDEES
NEIL/ANCHOR: The
next story brings a
moment of pride to
Newsline as we share
that one of our own
correspondents is
among those
receiving top honors
in Australia. That
story comes to us
from John Williams
VK4JJW.
JOHN:
Congratulations to
Newsline's own
Graham Kemp VK4BB
for being awarded a
Presidents
Commendation at the
recent Wireless
Institute of
Australia Annual
General Meeting.
Graham was honoured
for his leadership
with the news
service group and
for his anchor
duties. Graham joins
a group of other
honorees, including
Dale Hughes VK1DSH;
and Peter Young,
VK3MV, who were also
recipients of the
Presidents
Commendation. Bevan
Daniel, VK5BD,
received the Ron
Wilkinson
Achievement Award
for his production
of the National News
Service videos;
Andrew Chapman,
VK4QF, received the
Chris Jones Award
for his vital role
in creating the
crosslinked repeater
network known as the
SE Queensland Wide
Area Network. Ian
Jackson, VK3BUF, was
given the Technical
Excellence Award;
Hayden Honeywood,
VK7HH, received the
Michael Owen Medal;
and Grant Willis,
VK5GR, was given the
GA Taylor Award for
various roles,
including his
involvement in the
IARU on behalf of
the WIA. The eight
awards were
announced on the 7th
of May.
For
Amateur Radio
Newsline I'm John
Williams VK4JJW.
(WIA)
**
NOMINATION DEADLINE
NEARS FOR YOUNG HAM
OF THE YEAR AWARD
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Speaking of awards,
we are halfway
through the month of
May and the
nomination deadline
approaches for the
Amateur Radio
Newsline Bill
Pasternak Memorial
Young Ham of the
Year Award. It's
time to think about
the next generation
of radio operators
and appreciate their
skill and
dedication. Perhaps
one of them will be
the next award
recipient. Consider
nominating an
amateur radio
operator 18 years of
age or younger in
the continental
United States with
talent, promise and
a commitment to the
spirit of ham radio.
Find application
forms on our website
arnewsline.org under
the "YHOTY" tab.
Nominations close
May 31st.
**
YOUTH ON THE AIR TO
WELCOME VISITORS AT
DAYTON HAMVENTION
NEIL/ANCHOR: If
you're heading to
Hamvention in the
company of some
younger radio
operators, this next
story may be of
interest to you.
Stephen Kinford N8WB
has the details.
STEPHEN: Younger
radio amateurs
visiting Hamvention
will find a busy
agenda at the Youth
on the Air Booth in
the Xenia
Fairgrounds' Volta
building. Booth 4304
will be welcoming
young visitors by
hosting mini-forums
on Friday and
Saturday in
coordination with
ARISS, HamSci, the
Yasme Foundation and
a number of other
groups. There will
also be social hours
for young amateurs
who stop by on
Friday and Saturday
at noon. These
activities will take
place in a small
meeting area just
behind the main
booth. For more
details, visit
youthontheair dot
org slash
hamvention2022
(youthontheair.org/hamvention2022/
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Stephen Kinford
N8WB.
(YOUTH
ON THE AIR)
** GERMANY'S
YOUTH MARK SCHOOL
CLUB DAY
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Meanwhile, in
Germany, young
students have
already shown their
enthusiasm for
making even more
contacts as we hear
in this report from
Ed Durrant DD5LP.
ED: Throughout
Germany on Thursday,
May the 5th, the
amateur radio bands
had school club
callsigns and
educational
callsigns with the
prefix of DN
on-the-air for the
23rd annual European
School Club Day.
Students listened
for stations calling
QRZ throughout
Europe. Some QSOs
were also arranged
in advance. The
highlight for many
students, including
those in Berlin, was
an enviable DX:
Successful contacts
were made with
DPØGVN, the German
Antarctic Research
Station Neumeier
III.
Florian
Schmid, DL1FLO, who
oversees education
and youth work for
the DARC, declared
the day's activities
a success and said
other such events
will follow.
NEIL/ANCHOR: Few
things can touch
history and relay
its message better
than amateur radio,
especially across an
ocean. Two groups of
hams on opposite
sides of the
Atlantic plan to do
just that, as we
hear from Dave Parks
WB8ODF.
DAVE:
Amelia Earhart, the
American pioneering
aviator, crossed the
Atlantic Ocean
nonstop on May 20
and 21 in 1932,
becoming the first
female pilot to do
so. On the 90th
anniversary of that
achievement, some
radio waves will
accomplish the same
thing, coming from
transmitters in
Atchison, Kansas and
Londonderry,
Northern Ireland.
Hams in Londonderry
will activate the
callsign GBØAEL
between the 13th and
30th of May,
celebrating the
pioneering pilot
whose single-engine
plane touched down
on the very field
where they will be
calling QRZ.
Operators will be
amateurs from the
North West Group
Amateur Radio Club,
MNØNWG.
Meanwhile in Kansas
– Earhart's hometown
– operators Steve,
KCØVYS, and Chuck,
KBØTOT, will be on
the air on May 20th
and 21st at what is
now the Amelia
Earhart Memorial
Airport. Both
stations will be
offering
commemorative
certificates for
hams who make
successful contacts.
Steve wrote on his
QRZ page that the
hams in Kansas will
be using his
callsign and
promoting the Irish
activation too.
The "AEL" in
GBØAEL stands or
"Amelia Earhart
Legacy." Hams in the
North West group
have written [quote]
"By making contact
with GBØAEL, you
will also be making
history." [endquote]
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Dave Parks WB8ODF.
(QRZ, SOUTHGATE)
** UK
ORGANIZERS PREP FOR
SUMMER 'VILLAGE OF
GEEKS'
NEIL/ANCHOR:
Organizers in the UK
are preparing for a
summer camping
festival they
describe as [quote]
"a temporary village
of geeks, crafters
and technology
enthusiasts."
[endquote] Jeremy
Boot G4NJH tells us
what's going to
happen - and when.
JEREMY: More
than 2,000 people
are expected this
summer at
Electromagnetic
Field which will
bring technology,
scientific curiosity
and a special event
amateur radio
station to Eastnor
Castle Deer Park in
Herefordshire.
The
volunteer-run,
not-for-profit event
is taking place
between 2nd and 5th
June and will
include an Amateur
Radio Village GX1EMF
and AMSAT-UK Village
GB4EMF. Campers will
be able to arrive as
early as the
Thursday before in
order to set up and
they needn't take
down their camp
until the Monday
following.
In
addition to speakers
and workshops on
everyone's favourite
tech topics, there
will also be music
and other
entertainments. The
event is held every
two years although
the 2020 field day
was cancelled
because of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Ticket prices
and other
information is
available at the
website emfcamp dot
org. That's emfcamp
- one word - dot
org.
Those
attending only for
the day are eligible
for free admission.
For Amateur
Radio Newsline I'm
Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(EMFCAMP.ORG)
** PARKS ON
THE AIR ADDS 3 DX
HUNTER CATEGORIES
NEIL/ANCHOR: The
Parks on the Air
awards scheme has
added three new
categories for DX
Hunters. Vance
Martin N3VEM brings
us that report.
VANCE: In Parks
on the Air News, due
to popular demand
and a willing supply
of sponsors, we have
added 3 new DX
Hunter Categories to
the summer plaque
event, to compliment
the new DX Activator
plaques. This brings
the total number of
plaques available to
win up to 17. To
have a shot at
winning of these
plaques, join the
fun on July 16th and
17th. More details
are available from
the “Plaque Event”
menu item at pota
dot app. If you’re a
ham that happens to
be into free and
open source social
media platforms as
an alternative to
the offerings of the
large corporate
interests, we’re
pleased to share
that Parks on the
Air and several of
its volunteers now
have a presence on
the Fediverse. Look
for us using the
handle
@parksontheair@mastodon.radio
This is November
Three Victor Echo
Mike.
(POTA)
** WORLD OF
DX
In the
world of DX, be
listening for
Gerben, PG5M, active
as HBØ/PG5M from
Liechtenstein until
the 15th of May.
Gerben is operating
holiday style on
various HF bands
using CW only. QSL
via PG5M or
ClubLog's OQRS. For
updates, follow the
Twitter page of his
home call.
Members of the
Ecuador DX Club will
operate special
event station HD1E
from Quito on
Monday, May 23rd and
Tuesday, May 24th.
The hams are
celebrating
Ecuador's
Bicentennial
Independence Day,
which is on May
24th. They will be
on all HF bands
using all the usual
modes. QSL via LoTW.
A free commemorative
diploma will be
available for all
successful contacts.
Other hams in
Ecuador who are
members of the HCDX
Group have been
using the callsign
HD2ØØBP since May
1st from Quito
(Special Event) and
will continue until
the end of May. They
are commemorating
the 200th
anniversary of the
Battle of Pichincha.
Look for them on the
HF bands using SSB
and FT8/FT4. QSL via
EC5R.
Be
listening for
Reiner, DL2AAZ,
using the callsign
TO2AZ from
Basseterre Island,
Guadeloupe, between
May 27th and June
10th. Reiner will
operate holiday
style on 40 to 10
meters, including
30, 17 and 12
meters. He will be
using CW and SSB.
QSL to his home
call.
(OHIO
PENN DX)
*
KICKER: A WORLD OF
CONCERN FROM AN
OCEAN AWAY
NEIL/ANCHOR: Our
final story this
week reminds
listeners how small
amateur radio can
make the world,
especially in an
emergency. Ed
Durrant DD5LP
explains.
ED:
There's a great
distance between the
American South and
the Azores, where
Geir Tore
Christiansen LA5ZO
was with his
sailboat in late
April. The Norwegian
amateur heard a
ship's urgent
transmission on 12
MHz digital
selective on his
DSC-equipped HF
radio and quickly
pinpointed its
origin as the United
States. Suddenly the
vastness of
geography became
irrelevant. Geir has
been a radio
operator on merchant
ships and oil rigs
for much of his life
and, as he told
Newsline, responding
to a radio distress
call is simply
something an
operator does. Geir
reached out to the
United States Coast
Guard via satellite
phone. Meanwhile in
the U.S., the Coast
Guard received a
call on VHF-FM
channel 16 from the
crew of that same
ship off the coast
of New Orleans,
Louisiana. A crew
member had gone
missing and was
reported overboard
in the Gulf of
Mexico.
According to a Coast
Guard press release
and a report on the
nola.com website,
the Coast Guard sent
out an urgent marine
information
broadcast and
several units of the
service began a
search in the
waters. Geir said he
learned later that
the man was
successfully
rescued. The Coast
Guard could not
confirm those
details to Newsline
but a report on
Southgate Amateur
Radio News said a
heat-sensing camera
located the man, who
was wearing an
inflatable vest for
flotation. A
helicopter rescue
pulled him out of
the water. No doubt
the rescued man held
fast to the lifeline
as it was lowered
into the water for
him. The other
lifeline - radio -
was one he perhaps
could not see but it
was surely there as
strong as ever.
Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm) is
Copyright 2022. All
rights reserved.
NEW ENGLAND HAMS
K1TP-
Jon....Editor of As The World
Turns.... KA1BXB-Don...Regular
on
3928
afternoons....just
don't
mention
politics
to
him,
please! WB1ABC-
Ari..Bought an amp and now we
can here him on 75 meters,
worships his wife, obsessed with
Id'ing N1BOW-Phil...Retired
broadcast engineer, confused and
gullible, cheap, only uses
singl ply toilet paper KB1OWO-
Larry...Handsome Fellow
,only cuts lawn in August, plows
snow the rest in Jackman, Maine W1GEK-
Big Mike....Nearfest Cook, big
motor home, electronics software
engineer ... AA1SB-
Neil...Living large traveling
the country with his
girlfriend...loves CW N1YX-
Igor....peddles quality Russian
keys, software engineer K1BGH...Art.....Restores
cars and radio gear, nice fella... N1XW.....Mike-easy
going, Harley riding kind of
guy! K1JEK-Joe...Easy going, can
be found at most ham flea market
...Cobra Antenna builder.. KA1GJU-
Kriss- Tower climbing pilot who
cooks on the side at
Hosstrader's... W1GWU-Bob....one
of the Hosstrader's original
organizers, 75 meter regular,
Tech Wizard!!! K1PV-
Roger....75 meter regular, easy
going guy... W1XER...Scott....easy
going guy, loves to split
cordwood and hunt... KB1VX-
Barry- the picture says it all,
he loves food! KC1BBU-
Bob....the Mud Duck from the
Cape Cod Canal, making a lot of
noise. W1STS- Scott...philosopher,
hat connoisseur,
KB1JXU-
Matthew...75 meter regular...our
token liberal Democrat out of VT K1PEK-Steve..Founder
of Davis-RF....my best friend
from high school K9AEN-John...Easy
going ham found at all the ham
fests K1BQT.....Rick....very
talented ham, loves his
politics, has designed gear for
MFJ... W1KQ- Jim- Retired
Air Force
Controller...told quite a few
pilots where to go! N1OOL-Jeff-
The 3936 master plumber and
ragchewer... K1BRS-Bruce-
Computer Tech of 3936...multi
talented kidney stone passing
ham... K1BGH- Arthur, Cape Cod,
construction company/ice cream
shop, hard working man.... W1VAK-
Ed, Cape Cod, lots of experience
in all areas, once was a Jacques
Cousteus body guard.... K1BNH-
Bill- Used to work for a bottled
gas company-we think he has been
around nitrous oxide to long W1HHO- Cal...3941
group K1MPM-
Pete...3941
group WA1JFX-
Russell...3941
group .
SILENT KEYS
Silent Key
N1IOM- 3910 colorful
regular Silent Key
WS1D-
Warren- "Windy" - Bullnet Silent Key
KMIG-Rick....75
Meter Regular....teaches the
future of mankind, it's scary! Silent
Key
Neil
-K1YPM
.....a
true
gentleman Silent Key
K1BXI- John.........Dr.
Linux....fine amateur radio op
....wealth of experience... Silent KeyVA2GJB-
Graham...one of the good 14313
guys back in the day. Silent Key
K1BHV-
David...PITA Silent Key
W1JSH-
Mort...Air Force man Silent Key
K1MAN--Glen....PITA
Silent KeyKB1CJG-"Cobby"-
Low key gent can be found on
many of the 75 meter
nets......... Silent KeyWB1AAZ-
Mike, Antrim, NH, auto parts
truck driver-retired Silent KeyWB1DVD-
Gil....Gilly..Gilmore.....easy
going, computer parts selling,
New England Ham.. Silent Key
W1OKQ-
Jack....3936 Wheeling and
Dealing......keeping the boys on
there toes.... Silent Key
W1TCS-
Terry....75 meter
regular, wealth of electronic
knowledge... Silent Key
WIPNR-
Mack....DXCC Master, worked them
all!.. 3864 regular for many
years... Silent Key
WILIM- Hu....SK at 92... 3864
regular for many years... Silent Key
N1SIE-
Dave....Loves to fly Silent Key:N1WBD-
Big Bob- Tallest ham, at 6'10",
of the 3864 group Silent Key:
W1FSK-Steve....Navy
Pilot, HRO Salesman, has owned
every radio ever built! Silent Key:
W4NTI-Vietnam
Dan....far from easy going cw
and ssb op on 14275/313 Silent Key:K1FUB-Bill-
Loved ham radio....